2012-2013 PROGRAMS, EXHIBITIONS, AND SPECIAL EVENTS

SEPTEMBER

Exhibition

Visions of the Indians Canyons
Through November 4, 2012

Take a photographic journey deep into the majestic beauty of the Indian Canyons of Palm Springs. Learn about historical controversies
surrounding Tahquitz, Andreas, Murray, and Palm Canyons.

Visions of the Indian Canyons is sponsored by Renona Pennington & James D. Taylor.

OCTOBER

Living Traditions Program

Let’s Take a Hike!
– Discovering the Natural Wonders of the Indian Canyons

Our hiking series this year features six hikes in the Indian Canyons, each led by local experts in their field. Each hike focuses on a special area of interest and is limited to 20 participants on a first-come, first-served basis.

Participants are encouraged to bring drinking water, sunscreen, a hat, and comfortable hiking shoes. Binoculars are recommended for the bird-watching hike.

Murray Canyon/Scenic Landscape

This seldom-hiked canyon is a joy to behold. The hike will take approximately four hours.

Leader: Michael Hammond, Ph.D., Executive Director, Agua Caliente Cultural Museum

Saturday, October 20, 2012
8:00 am
Murray Canyon

Registration is required and the fee is $25 per hike, which includes entrance to the canyon. There is no charge for Museum members. Call 760-833-8169 for information or to register.

NOVEMBER

Exhibition

Where Are the Tipis?
...the changing perceptions about Indians

November 7, 2012 through October 20, 2013

Views of Indians, past and present, are often based on misinformation. This exhibition provides insights into these perceptions and how they have been perpetuated.

Exhibition Opening Reception at the Museum
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Admission is free. All are welcome.

Spirit Keepers Program

Perceptions of Native Americans in Art - Lecture

Using his art as a point of reference, Gerald Clarke, Jr. will talk about some of the common misperceptions about Native Americans as seen through art. Visit the Museum to see his commissioned piece inspired by the exhibition Where Are the Tipis?...the changing perceptions about Indians.

Presenter: Gerald Clarke, Jr. (Cahuilla Band of Cahuilla Indians), Artist and Chair of Visual Arts at Idyllwild Arts Academy

Wednesday, November 14, 2012
6:30 pm

Spa Resort Casino Hotel
Cahuilla Room
100 North Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs

Free Admission and Parking

DECEMBER

Special Event

Holiday Open House at the Museum

We invite you to bring an ornament with a Native American or desert theme to adorn the Museum holiday tree this season and for years to come. Refreshments will be served.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Agua Caliente Cultural Museum
219 South Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs

Admission is free. All are welcome.

Living Traditions Program

Let’s Take a Hike!
– Discovering the Natural Wonders of the Indian Canyons

Our hiking series this year features six hikes in the Indian Canyons, each led by local experts in their field. Each hike focuses on special areas of interest and is limited to 20 participants on a first-come, first-served basis.

Participants are encouraged to bring drinking water, sunscreen, a hat, and comfortable hiking shoes.

Palm Canyon/ Geology

Learn about the natural processes that helped form Palm Canyon.

Leader: Harry Quinn., Geologist

Saturday, December 15, 2012
9:00 am
Palm Canyon

Registration is required and the fee is $25 per hike, which includes entrance to the canyon. There is no charge for Museum members. Call 760-833-8169 for information or to register.

JANUARY

Living Traditions Program

Let’s Take a Hike!
– Discovering the Natural Wonders of the Indian Canyons

Our hiking series this year features six hikes in the Indian Canyons, each led by local experts in their field. Each hike focuses on special areas of interest and is limited to 20 participants on a first-come, first-served basis.

Participants are encouraged to bring drinking water, sunscreen, a hat, and comfortable hiking shoes.

Tahquitz Canyon/Geology

This hike focuses on local history, culture, and geology of the Tahquitz Canyon landscape.

Leader: Harry Quinn., Geologist
Saturday, January 12, 2013
9:00 am
Tahquitz Canyon

Registration is required and the fee is $25 per hike, which includes entrance to the canyon. There is no charge for Museum members. Call 760-833-8169 for information or to register.

Spirit Keepers Programs

Bird Singing: Indian Social Song and Dance - Panel Discussion

A panel of distinguished bird singers and dancers will discuss aspects of traditional bird singing and dancing past and present, and what the future holds for this performance practice. This event is presented in conjunction with the Singing the Birds (Wikitmullem Tahmuwhae): Bird Song & Dance Festival held on Saturday, January 26.

Moderator: Gerald Clarke, Jr. (Cahuilla Band of Cahuilla Indians), Artist and Chair of Visual Arts at Idyllwild Arts Academy

Wednesday, January 23, 2013
6:30 pm

Spa Resort Casino Hotel
Cahuilla Room
100 North Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs

Free Admission and Parking

Special Event

Singing the Birds (Wikitmallem Tahmuwhae): Bird Song and Dance Festival

Through the ages, bird singing and dancing have been an important part of Native culture for tribes in southern California and other regions of the Southwest. This event features honored bird singers and dancers from California and Arizona.

Guest Host: Gerald Clarke, Jr. (Cahuilla Band of Cahuilla Indians)

Saturday, January 26, 2013
11:00 am – 8:00 pm

Palm Springs High School Gymnasium
2401 East Baristo Road, Palm Springs

Admission and parking are free. All are welcome.

FEBRUARY

Special Event

Native American Jewelry Show

Enjoy a relaxing time with friends for a delicious meal on opening night of the show, with Native American jewelry modeled during dinner. After dinner, be the first to have an exclusive opportunity to view and purchase, at a substantial discount, a special Valentine’s Day gift of beautiful traditional and contemporary pieces. Proceeds benefit Agua Caliente Cultural Museum.

Opening Night Dinner and Jewelry Show
Friday, February 8, 2013
6:30 pm
Reservations Required • Tickets $75

Saturday and Sunday, February 9-10
10:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Jewelry will be available to the general public for viewing and purchase in the Cahuilla Room of the Hotel.
Admission is free. All are welcome.

Spa Resort Casino Hotel
Palm Room
100 North Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs

Call 760.833.8174 for more information.

Spirit Keepers Programs

Views on Native Film - Lecture

Dr. Raheja recently returned from Trømso, Norway where she was a Fulbright research fellow. Her latest book is Reservation Reelism:  Redfacing, Visual Sovereignty, and Representation of Native Americans in Film.

Presenter: Michelle H. Raheja, Ph.D., Associate Professor of English at University of California, Riverside

Tuesday, February 26, 2013
7:30 PM

Camelot Theatres
2300 East Baristo Road, Palm Springs

Admission and parking are free.

Special Event

Native FilmFest

Now in its twelfth season, Native FilmFest is one of the nation’s most highly regarded festivals of its kind – featuring the best in films by, about, and starring Native Americans and other Indigenous peoples. For ticket information and schedule of screenings, visit the Native FilmFest page on this Web site.

Guest Programmer: Elizabeth Weatherford, Director and Founder, Film and Video Center, Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian

Wednesday, February 27 through Sunday, March 3, 2013

Camelot Theatres
2300 East Baristo Road, Palm Springs

Free parking

MARCH

Living Traditions Programs

Experiencing Native Cuisine

Barbara Drake and Chef Paul Woods will share their wisdom and culinary expertise about preparing and presenting Native foods.

Presenters: Barbara Drake (Tongva elder of the Chumash Tribe), co-founder of Preserving Our Heritage: A Native Foods Bank Project
and Chef Paul Woods of the Spa Resort Casino

Saturday, March 16, 2013
11:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Agua Caliente Cultural Museum
219 South Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs

Free • All are welcome
No Registration Required

Let’s Take a Hike!
– Discovering the Natural Wonders of the Indian Canyons

Our hiking series this year features six hikes in the Indian Canyons, each led by local experts in their field. Each hike focuses on special areas of interest and is limited to 20 participants on a first-come, first-served basis.

Hikes are limited to 20 people each. Participants are encouraged to bring drinking water, sunscreen, a hat, and comfortable hiking shoes. 

Tahquitz Canyon/Bird Watching

Be sure to bring your binoculars to this early Sunday morning hike.

Leader: Kurt Leuschner, Ornithologist and Professor of Natural Resources
College of the Desert

Sunday, March 17, 2013
6:30 AM

Tahquitz Canyon

Registration is required and the fee is $25 per hike, which includes entrance to the canyon. There is no charge for Museum members. Call 760-833-8169 for information or to register.

Living Traditions Program

Traditional Cahuilla Basketmaking Workshop

Learn traditional Cahuilla coiled basketry. There is a materials cost to each participant of $25.00 payable in advance. Tools will be provided for the class or tool kits may be purchased for $20.00.

Instructor: Rose Ann Hamilton (Mountain Cahuilla)

Saturday, March 23, 2013
10:00 AM

Agua Caliente Cultural Museum
219 South Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs

Advance registration required. The fee is $25 (free for Museum members). All participants must pay the materials fee. Call 760-833-8167 for more information or to register. 

APRIL

Living Traditions Programs

Let’s Take a Hike!
– Discovering the Natural Wonders of the Indian Canyons

Our hiking series this year features six hikes in the Indian Canyons, each led by local experts in their field. Each hike focuses on special areas of interest and is limited to 20 participants on a first-come, first-served basis.

Hikes are limited to 20 people each. Participants are encouraged to bring drinking water, sunscreen, a hat, and comfortable hiking shoes. 

Tahquitz Canyon/Plants & Bugs

On this hike you will learn about bugs that prefer certain plants…and why.

Leaders: Jennifer Purcell, Botanical Garden Registrar at the Living Desert
& Doug Yanega, Ph.D., Entomologist and senior museum scientist at the Entomology Research Museum at the University of California, Riverside

Saturday, April 6, 2013
9:00 AM

Tahquitz Canyon

Registration is required and the fee is $25 per hike, which includes entrance to the canyon. There is no charge for Museum members. Call 760-833-8169 for information or to register.

Spirit Keepers Programs

Planning the 2013 Exhibition about Historic Section 14…With You!

The Museum is in the planning phase of a new exhibition that will open in the fall of 2013 and tell about life experiences of people on historic Section 14 – a square-mile parcel of prime reservation real estate in downtown Palm Springs owned by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and individual Tribal members.

This historic tract of land that extends from Indian Canyon Drive to Sunrise Way and from Ramon Road to Alejo Street was home to a diversity of culture, race, ethnicity, economic wealth, and political and social interests. What life was like on Section 14 will be the subject of this exhibition.

You can be part of creating this exciting exhibition by attending this planning event. It will be a unique opportunity to help tell the story of Section 14. Bring your photos, articles, and memorabilia about life on Section 14 to show Museum staff and volunteers. Share and compare your stories with friends and acquaintances, and help us identify historic photographs that will be on display from the Museum archives. If you wish, you may talk with Museum staff about scheduling a time in the future to record an oral history about your own Section 14 experiences.

Host: Dawn Wellman, Curator, Agua Caliente Cultural Museum

Tuesday, April 16, 2013
6:30 PM

Spa Resort Casino Hotel
Cahuilla Room
100 North Indian Canyon Drive
Palm Springs

Free Admission and Parking

Living Traditions Programs

Let’s Take a Hike!
– Discovering the Natural Wonders of the Indian Canyons

Our hiking series this year features six hikes in the Indian Canyons, each led by local experts in their field. Each hike focuses on special areas of interest and is limited to 20 participants on a first-come, first-served basis.

Hikes are limited to 20 people each. Participants are encouraged to bring drinking water, sunscreen, a hat, and comfortable hiking shoes. 

Palm Canyon/Bugs

Explore the fascinating world of bugs that inhabit beautiful Palm Canyon.

Leader: Doug Yanega, Ph.D., Entomologist and senior museum scientist at the Entomology Research Museum at the University of California, Riverside

Saturday, April 27, 2013
9:00 AM

Palm Canyon

Registration is required and the fee is $25 per hike, which includes entrance to the canyon. There is no charge for Museum members. Call 760-833-8169 for information or to register.

JULY

Living Traditions Program

Kids Explore! Summer Classes

Create a reed basket, make a Navajo sand painting, play California Indian games, learn about different Native cultures…and so much more! Children ages 5 – 12 learn while having fun.

Instructor: Ashley Dunphy, Collections Manager, Agua Caliente Cultural Museum

Monday through Thursday
July 15 through July 18, 2013
10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon

Agua Caliente Cultural Museum
219 South Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs

Registration Required
Fee: $10

Call 760-833-8169 for information or to register.

AUGUST

Living Traditions Program

Kids Explore! Summer Classes

Create a reed basket, make a Navajo sand painting, play California Indian games, learn about different Native cultures…and so much more! Children ages 5 – 12 learn while having fun.


Instructor: Ashley Dunphy Collections Manager, Agua Caliente Cultural Museum

Monday through Thursday
August 5 through August 8, 2013
10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon

Registration Required
Fee: $10

Call 760-833-8169 for information or to register.


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